US3575041A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for testing cigarettes or the like
Assignee: Körber AG
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Filing: 1968-11-20
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Granted: 1971-04-13
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Expires: 1988-11-20
Abstract
Abstract Two rows of filter cigarettes which move sideways are tested simultaneously while traveling in the flutes of a testing drum past a testing station where both ends of each cigarette receive testing fluid from a stationary source. The drum is provided with an annular flange between the two rows of flutes and with two rows of nipples which engage the outer ends of cigarettes during travel past the testing station to urge the inner ends of such cigarettes against the flange. Testing fluid is admitted by way of the nipples and through passages provided in the flange, and the passages of the flange are connected with an electronic or pneumatic testing unit during travel past the testing station. The testing unit controls an ejector which expels defective cigarettes from their flutes downstream of the testing station. One row of cigarettes is thereupon inverted end for end so that the cigarettes of the one row are deposited between the cigarettes of the other row.
Inventors
- 👤 Uwe Heitman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:25
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/32; A24C5/34; A24C5/3418; A24C5/33; A24C5/336
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
In an apparatus for testing cigarettes or analogous articles wherein an open-ended tubular wrapper surrounds a rod-shaped filler of gas-permeable material, a combination comprising a testing conveyor having a plurality of receiving means each arranged to advance a pair of axially spaced discrete coaxial articles sideways past a testing station; sealing means arranged to seal the ends of wrappers on pairs of articles in receiving means travelling past said station, said sealing means comprising pairs of movable portions each pair of which registers with one of said receiving means; means for moving each movable portion against the adjoining end of a wrapper in the registering receiving means while the respective pairs of articles travel past said station; stream admitting means for admitting streams of a testing fluid into the ends of pairs of coaxial wrappers moving past said station whereby the characteristics of such streams change as a function of the condition of the respective articles; and testing means for determining the characteristics of said streams.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
In an apparatus for testing cigarettes or analogous articles wherein an open-ended tubular wrapper surrounds a rod-shaped filler of gas-permeable material, a combination comprising a testing conveyor having a plurality of receiving means each arranged to advance a pair of axially spaced discrete coaxial articles sideways past a testing station; sealing means arranged to seal the ends of wrappers on pairs of articles in receiving means travelling past said station, said sealing means comprising pairs of movable portions each pair of which registers with one of said receiving means; means for moving each movable portion against the adjoining end of a wrapper in the registering receiving means while the respective pairs of articles travel past said station; stream admitting means for admitting streams of a testing fluid into the ends of pairs of coaxial wrappers moving past said station whereby the characteristics of such streams change as a function of the condition of the respective articles; and testing means for determining the characteristics of said streams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said stream admitting means comprises a single source of testing fluid and said testing means comprises a single testing unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
156 words
In an apparatus for testing cigarettes or analogous articles wherein an open-ended tubular wrapper surrounds a rod-shaped filler of gas-permeable material, a combination comprising a testing conveyor having two groups of receiving means each arranged to advance a row of articles sideways past a testing station; sealing means arranged to seal the ends of wrappers on articles travelling past said station, said sealing means comprising a central sealing member extending between said groups of receiving means and movable portions each registering with one of said receiving means; means for moving each movable portion against the adjoining end of the wrapper in the registering receiving means while the articles travel past said station; means for admitting streams of a testing fluid into the ends of wrappers moving past said station whereby the characteristics of such streams change as a function of the condition of the respective articles; and testing means for determining the characteristics of said streams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
156 words
In an apparatus for testing cigarettes or analogous articles wherein an open-ended tubular wrapper surrounds a rod-shaped filler of gas-permeable material, a combination comprising a testing conveyor having two groups of receiving means each arranged to advance a row of articles sideways past a testing station; sealing means arranged to seal the ends of wrappers on articles travelling past said station, said sealing means comprising a central sealing member extending between said groups of receiving means and movable portions each registering with one of said receiving means; means for moving each movable portion against the adjoining end of the wrapper in the registering receiving means while the articles travel past said station; means for admitting streams of a testing fluid into the ends of wrappers moving past said station whereby the characteristics of such streams change as a function of the condition of the respective articles; and testing means for determining the characteristics of said streams.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein the receiving means of each group are equidistant from each other and wherein each receiving means of one group registers with a receiving means of the other group.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said sealing means is arranged to share movements of said conveyor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein the movable portions of said sealing means form two rows which flank said central sealing member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said fluid admitting means is arranged to admit testing fluid into the wrappers by way of said movable portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said fluid admitting means comprises a source of testing fluid, control members each adjacent to the path of movement of one row of movable portions and each having an elongated slot with which the corresponding movable portions register during travel past said station, and means for conveying testing fluid from said source to said slots.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said central sealing member is provided with passages each registering with oNe of said receiving means, said fluid admitting means being connected with those passages which travel past said station and further comprising connecting means for connecting said testing means with those passages which travel past said testing station.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein said connecting means comprises a fixed shoe in sealing engagement with said central sealing member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein said passages form two rows and wherein said connecting means is provided with two slots staggered with reference to each other as considered in the direction of movement of said conveyor and each registering with one of said rows.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said testing means comprises a plurality of pneumatic low-pressure control elements including at least one pneumatic amplifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising ejector means located past said testing station and operative to segregate defective articles from satisfactory articles in response to signals produced by said testing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said testing means comprises delay means for delaying said signals so that a defective article reaches said ejector means when the latter receives a corresponding signal from said testing means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor is a rotary drum and wherein said receiving means are provided with flutes extending in parallelism with the axis of said drum.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
69 words
A combination as defined in claim 15, further comprising pneumatic ejector means for expelling defective articles from their flutes in response to signals received from said testing means, said ejector means comprising nozzle means provided in said drum in registry with each of said flutes and means located downstream of said testing station for admitting into said nozzle means compressed gas in response to signals from said testing means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus for treatment of filter cigarettes or analogous articles wherein an open-ended tubular wrapper surrounds a rod-shaped filler of gas-permeable material, comprising conveyor means for advancing two rows of articles sideways; testing means for detecting defective articles in said rows; ejector means for segregating the thus detected defective articles; and inverting means for changing the orientation of articles in one of said rows downstream of said ejector means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus for treatment of filter cigarettes or analogous articles wherein an open-ended tubular wrapper surrounds a rod-shaped filler of gas-permeable material, comprising conveyor means for advancing two rows of articles sideways; testing means for detecting defective articles in said rows; ejector means for segregating the thus detected defective articles; and inverting means for changing the orientation of articles in one of said rows downstream of said ejector means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said inverting means comprises means for converting said two rows of articles into a single row.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said articles are filter cigarettes and wherein the filter tips of cigarettes in said one row are adjacent to the filter tips of cigarettes in the other row prior to inversion of cigarettes in said one row.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said inverting means comprises means for placing successive articles of said one row between successive pairs of articles of the other row.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3408858A
Cited
US3483970A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-04-12 | 1974-10-12 | 1975-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-04-12 | 1978-10-12 | 1979-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-04-12 | 1982-10-12 | 1983-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |